Navy OCS-First Salute

[gotta_fly]

When I was looking for a coin I hadn't heard that the norm was to get the fancy silver mint coin, in fact I didn't even know there was such a thing. I called around to banks until I found one that had a 1976 Bicentennial silver dollar. It cost me all of one dollar, but I felt it was special since it represented the anniversary of our independence (and had an eagle landing on the moon which is awesome). The chief I gave it to (a family friend and long time mentor of mine) said he wouldn't give it away if it were his last dollar. I guess my point is it's the thought/ sentiment behind it and not necessarily the cost. In retrospect I felt bad that I hadn't spent more once I saw my friends with there fancy coins, but at least mine had some history behind it.

 

[revan1013]

So for the first salute, getting ahead of myself, I know...

Would we let our class officers/chiefs/DIs know that we asked someone else to give us our first salute at commissioning at some point? I wanted my grandfather, my personal inspiration, GySgt, Vietnam Vet, to give me the first salute. Would he come up to the platform (or whichever area the ceremony is performed on) and do it there or would it be an "on the side" thing while we're in line waiting to be saluted by our class DI/Chief?

I'm only trying to clarify since my grandfather is extremely excited by the idea of coming up and would like some detail so he knows what to do/wear/etc... and asked me to inquire about it.

If I'm nuking the issue, just say so. I have that tendency.

Thanks everyone.

 

[BACONATOR]

So for the last salute, getting ahead of myself, I know...

Would we let our class officers/chiefs/DIs know that we asked someone else to give us our first salute at commissioning at some point? I wanted my grandfather, my personal inspiration, GySgt, Vietnam Vet, to give me the first salute. Would he come up to the platform (or whichever area the ceremony is performed on) and do it there or would it be an "on the side" thing while we're in line waiting to be saluted by our class DI/Chief?

I'm only trying to clarify since my grandfather is extremely excited by the idea of coming up and would like some detail so he knows what to do/wear/etc... and asked me to inquire about it.

If I'm nuking the issue, just say so. I have that tendency.

Thanks everyone.

"On the side thing"... at least that's how it was in Pcola. I'm sure a similar type of thing is done in RI. Perfectly allowable and fairly common. They'll go over the whole ceremony ahead of time and you'll let em know at that point if you have any other first salutes you want to do.

 

[revan1013]

Thanks Otto. I'll pass the info along.

 

[lg106]

Revan you can do a private comission prior to the actual big ceremony, my father did mine.As for everyone else, you do not need to bring coins with you to OCS, or buy it in advance, you will buy them as a class when you become a CandiO, if you want to buy a super expensive coin you can, it is not a big deal, some people bought the coins that cost a $1.50 and others bought coins that cost $50, do what you want, worry about this stuff later.

 

[revan1013]

Haha thanks for the info but I already graduated OCS.

Hopefully the gouge will help out someone in the future.

Nice thread res btw

 

[SynixMan]

As a tack on to this thread, and what people asking what the Chiefs do with the coins.

My Chief at OCS told us he puts all the regular dollar coins in a bank account, and the nicer ones he keeps. When he finishes his shore tour at OTCN, he wanted to use all the coin funds to make/get a coffee table with a shadow box top for all his OTCN keepsakes. Pretty cool IMO. And my Chief was awesome, so there's that too.

 

[navybrat88]

My dad was prior service at my commissioning ceremony will I be able to salute him and hand him a coin as well?

 

[SynixMan]

My dad was prior service at my commissioning ceremony will I be able to salute him and hand him a coin as well?

Even though you do the oath at a private ceremony, OCS still owns you and you're still an officer candidate until you are done with the ceremony and formalities of graduation. You DI and Chief will be your first two, and that's part of the ceremony, but after that, coin who ever you want. I coined the first random enlisted dude to salute me. He was a bit freaked when I said "Petty Officer, come back here" until I explained what it was and gave him the coin.

 

[Terminator]

"No amount of money I could give you would ever repay you for the traits you've instilled in me and what you've helped me become, but here is a token of appreciation, signifying my thanks for all of your hard work"

Hooyah to that.

 

[AlexSmart]

Anybody on here give their officer recruiters a coin? I'm still in the application process and obviously a long way from giving anybody a silver dollar, but my OR has already put in so much time and effort in my application. I have been reading so many stories on airwarriors about recruiters growing tired of applicants, but my OR couldn't have been a nicer guy and has (and still is) busting his ass trying to get some medical BS out of the way for me, and I feel really lucky to have been assigned to him.

 

[MidWestEwo]

There is new info at OCS regarding coins. You are not allowed to give any coin worth more than 1 dollar. If any coin is given that is worth more than 1 dollar, it will be reported, and returned to the individual. Our whole class just included 2 dollars into the cost of Hi Moms and the committee bought rolls of silver dollar coins for us to give away at graduation. That way every coin was the same, we stuck with the tradition, and nothing was considered an illegal gift.

 

[mtsupilot09]

Here is what our class did to get around the "has to be $1" rule. We gave our first salute to our Class Senior Chief and Class Drill Instructor after the ceremony next to the Rose Garden. Since at that point we were commissioned officers, there was no one to say, "hey, you can't give them xyz coin." Worked out better for everybody. Most of our class gave our class team Eagles (about $23) and got an Eisenhower ($1.50) for the first enlisted sailor that rendered a salute. For those about to go to OCS: coins and first salutes are the last thing that will be on your mind for the first 11 weeks. I promise.

 

[mitrokhin]

The skipper at OCS has done away with first salutes, just FYI. People weren't obeying the one dollar rule or whatever and there was some issue with the government gift giving policy.

 

[picklesuit]

The skipper at OCS has done away with first salutes, just FYI. People weren't obeying the one dollar rule or whatever and there was some issue with the government gift giving policy.

Doesn't mean you can't do it, just have to be a little tactical...